WPL 2026 Schedule: Harmanpreet Kaur's Mumbai Indians will meet Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the season opener on January 9. (BCCI)Defending champions Mumbai Indians will take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 opener in Navi Mumbai on January 9, with the final of the five-team tournament to be held at the Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara on February 5.
The 28-day tournament is split between two venues: Navi Mumbai and Vadodara. The DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai (site of India’s ODI World Cup win over South Africa in early November) will host the first 11 matches, which include two double-headers. The remaining 11 matches, including the eliminator on February 3 and the final, will be played at Vadodara’s Kotambi Stadium.
This season marks two significant firsts for the WPL: it will feature a weekday final, and it will be played during the January-February window, unlike the previous three seasons, which took place in February-March just before the IPL. Additionally, this schedule ensures the WPL avoids clashing with other major international fixtures for the first time.
The defending WPL champions are the Mumbai Indians (MI), who have secured two titles in the three editions played so far. The only other team to win the title is Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). The Delhi Capitals (DC) hold the unique distinction of being runners-up in all three seasons, while the Gujarat Giants and UP Warriorz have yet to reach a final.
Following the WPL’s conclusion, the Indian team will immediately embark on an all-format tour of Australia, scheduled from February 15 to March 9. This tour includes a Test match, three ODIs, and three T20Is.
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